


Night Skies and Long Rides

by y_oona



Series: In every universe, you're the one [1]
Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Gen, Peep the meanie and verkwan, Strawberries and cigarettes based, hello again!, jicheol for like 2 seconds tbh, soulmate! AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-07
Updated: 2018-05-17
Packaged: 2019-05-03 14:44:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14571237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/y_oona/pseuds/y_oona
Summary: Seungcheol goes through the textbook definition of life. Nothing too daring, always playing it safe. But his soulmate has different plans, for better and maybe even for worse.





	1. Lighters and Candy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a bad bitch, you can't kill me

“I want strawberries.”

Wonwoo raises an eyebrow from his textbook, taking him a whole second to realize what the sudden outburst is about. “Still haven’t met him yet I take it?” He chuckles at his friend’s struggle.

Seungcheol rolls his eyes as he puts his laptop down on the cushion making a bee-line towards the fridge. Offering Wonwoo anything, his best friend simply denies the request.

“Don’t worry, I craved ramen like five times a week for nearly a year before it happened,” He flips to the next page.

“Well, this has got to end now,” Seungcheol groans, enjoying the taste of strawberries against his tongue. Fishing out the pack of cigarettes from his back pocket he strolls over to his window to slide it open. Balancing the plastic container on the table next to him, he props himself onto the window sill, lighting a cigarette.

For weeks on weeks, it’s been like this. Craving the taste of strawberries mixed with ash and smoke of a cigarette. On good days, he’d be able to suppress the urge to eat the red fruit or inhale the cancer-stick, but on days where his will-power is at a low, he has to have the repulsive yet satisfying combination.

Puffing out the smoke in the open air, his eyes wander out in the night sky. Seungcheol never liked smoking. Strawberries he could tolerate – they’re sweet and nature’s delicacy, who wouldn’t like them? However, having a cigarette between his fingers was never something he’d expect to grow accustomed to, let alone grow a small liking towards it.

“Once you kiss ‘em, it’ll be gone. But doesn’t mean you’ll stop,” Wonwoo sighs, “To this day Mingyu still eats egg tarts with me.”

Leaning his head against the window frame he takes another drag after taking a bite from a strawberry. The complexity of soulmates will always baffle him.

It’s so precise and nitpicky that sometimes Seungcheol can’t believe that it’s actually real. He’d always think it was a big joke when his parents had explained it to him one day. How when one’s soulmate is eating their favorite food, the other would crave it at that moment. How the closer they were, the stronger the desire was to have it. The moment he tastes it on their lips, the cravings would stop and that’s when he’d know. Seungcheol thought it was a load of bullshit. It sounded so made up and so unrealistic. Until Hansol experienced it. Then Wonwoo.

Hansol always asked for ice cream in middle school at the most random times. Once before a serious exam, he froze and announced how badly he wanted ice cream, yet the next couple of weeks he’d turn down an offer for ice cream. It only came back two years later in high school when he found out his soulmate lived in Jeju instead of Seoul and visited occasionally which correlated with Hansol’s intense urge to eat ice cream instead of his usual “I kind of want ice cream.” Only to discover that Seungkwan had become incredibly annoyed at him for always eating chocolate. “Who the hell eats chocolate at midnight?” where he had responded with “Someone who’s hungry, damn it!”

For Wonwoo, his cravings for ramen didn’t start until he moved back to South Korea from living abroad. He thought it was just being in the college scene and being back home was the reason until he wanted ramen almost every week. It explained so much after he met Mingyu. Hell, he didn’t even have to kiss him to know it was him. All he did was walk into a study session for one of his classes with an egg tart in hand when he saw his taller classmate was eating a cup of ramen. Both had stared at each other, glaring at first, simultaneously screaming “You!” with their mouths full of food.

There’s just no denying it at that point. So, when Seungcheol experienced his first craving of strawberries, he thought it was rather odd to have this other raw, dry feeling matched with it. Sometimes it was there, but a good amount of times he could taste it with the fruit.

“What do you think they’re going to be like?”

Seungcheol blinks out of his reverie, putting the cigarette butt out against the outside wall of the apartment complex before shutting the window. “They’re probably sweet… maybe even bad for me.”

 

 

***

 

 

Paying for another round of drinks, Seungcheol laughs along with his friends and the bartender at probably the way Jun’s voice began to slur. What better way to celebrate someone’s first birthday in a foreign country?

As the minutes pass, he grows a bit tired of the excitement. Excusing himself, he steps out of the bar in much need for some fresh air. Leaning against the brick wall, a long sigh drags out of him. The all too familiar sensation washes over him once more, but this time, it’s just to smoke.

Seungcheol takes out the box of cigarettes almost pulling them out when he sees a figure appeared beside him. Head still turned down, he shifts his eyes to the side to see someone who looks about his age, brown hair a bit ruffled. He’s handsome. The stranger has his hands in his pockets while he burns a hole in the pack Seungcheol’s holding.

Unsure as to why he was staring, he pushes one stick out of the box, offering it to the new face. In response, he gets, “Your friends are pretty loud,” as he takes it hesitantly.

“We’re at a bar and it’s Friday night, what do you expect?” Seungcheol places the cigarette between his lips and is about to light it up when he sees his company drop it on the ground, stepping on it soon after. “That’s a waste of cig.”

“One less one you’ll smoke.”

At this point Seungcheol’s enthralled. Pocketing his lighter, he puts the cigarette behind his ear. “I’m Seungcheol, you?”

“Jihoon.”

A smile plays on his lips as he shakes the other’s hand. He knows for an absolute fact now that this stranger isn’t his soulmate. But it’s been a while since his attention has been grabbed so fast.

Even if he had a slight hope that he’d meet them soon, wishing it’d be him but he knows. His soulmate can’t resist a smoke.

 

 

*** 

 

 

They last about two months per se. It was completely harmless. They meet each other for lunch when they both were free from the death grip university life had around them. Their first kiss is when Seungcheol invites him over for a simple movie. That’s when Jihoon realizes that it wasn’t him. He was disappointed, to say the least, his lips tasted like nicotine, but it wasn’t the same.

“It’s like he has cotton candy with it.” Jihoon rolled his eyes, laying back on the couch.

“I have to eat strawberries when I smoke so pick your choosing,” He chuckles.

The two decided to just keep things casual between them. A “no strings attached” relationship until they really found the one who’s supposed to be with them.

It wasn’t until the other night when Seungcheol was laying in his bed, distracting himself from his actual studies with Buzzfeed unsolved videos when he gets a call. The voice of a shocked Jihoon was amusing, but when he spoke about finding his soulmate it tugged at his heart. No, it wasn’t the fact that Jihoon was most likely going to leave him in the dust, it’s that another one has found theirs, and he has yet to find his.

“Turns out it was my friend Soonyoung all along. He’s got a flavored Juul so it explains it and my sudden addiction to potato chips.”

“That’s great Lee, maybe you’ll finally cave and try a puff.”

Seungcheol pulled the phone away from his ear laughing at how offended Jihoon got at the mere suggestion that he’d even consider inhaling that shit.

Which is how he finds himself at the same bar he met Jihoon at the next night.

He went alone this time around. Wanting some time to himself. When he sits down the bartender give him a curious look as he polishes some of the glasses. Craning his neck, he asks, “We doing the usual soju or is it one of those days where you gotta have strawberries?”

“Sangria me Ren,” Seungcheol lazily nods dropping his lighter on the counter. As he waits he surveys his surroundings. It’s a Wednesday night, so the bare is relatively empty save for the college students already getting ready for the weekend and the office workers who seemed to have a rough day.

When Ren comes back out, he hands him the pink drink, leaning over the counter. “I made another one of these not even five minutes ago. Maybe your soulmates in here today.” He tries to help him out. Seungcheol’s thankful for the advice but opted out of getting his hopes up.

“Last time I thought my soulmate was here I was utterly let down so I’ll just let that person enjoy their sangria alone.”

The bartender smiles – he isn’t sure if it’s a reassuring one or a pitiful one – tapping the counter before tending to the other guests.

From the corner of his eye, he sees a head tip back, chugging whatever was in his drink, people around him laughing and throwing napkins at him. His hair is short. Chestnut colored. He’s wearing all black. Black shirt. Black pants. Black shoes. But his cardigan is grey.

Apparently, his staring doesn’t go unnoticed when another brunet next to the man in black nudges him, gesturing over to Seungcheol’s direction.

Their eyes lock briefly. Seungcheol never knew a man could be described as being handsome and beautiful at the same time.  He receives a wink before he turns back to his friends. Seungcheol smiles to himself, shaking his head. Setting the glass down on the bar, he signals for Ren to watch his drink, the desire to smoke creeping up on him. Except this time around, it wasn’t because of the urge of his soulmate smoking; it’s all on him now.

Back at his usual spot, he leans against the brick wall once more, cigarette between his lips, this time, not even hesitating to burn the end. A relieved sigh comes out as he exhales the smoke slowly from his mouth. He could laugh at himself. The way he acted sometimes made him think that he was the poster boy for the latest teen angst movie filled with drugs and grunge themes.

“Light my cigarette?”

Eyes flying open, he looks to see the beautiful man from moments ago right next to him. His shoulder slumped against the wall, one arm tucked underneath the other while it’s held up, twiddling a similar cigarette between his index and middle finger. His eyes seemed to be after something else though.

Not one to disappoint, the raven-haired man flicks his wrist, singeing the end. Not even daring to look away, he stares at the way the stranger slowly presses the other end to his lips, taking a nice slow drag. It’s captivating.

Then the desire hits him.

Eyes never leaving the person next to him, he inhales his own once more, both letting the smoke out at the same time.

“So, Mister Lonely. What brings you out here on a Wednesday in the midst of the night?” His voice is different. A good different. Off of just first impressions, one would never pin him to being someone who’s able to chug alcohol like a pro or even take a huff from the impending key to lung cancer.

Adjusting his position, he mimics the other’s stance to face him. “Mister Lonely has a name. And I’m here because of the incredibly weird reality we live in and seem to accept all too warmly.”

“An angsty answer, I like it,” he grins, scrunching his nose in amusement, “Is Lonely Boy going to give me a name or will I have to guess my way to it?”

“Well if I made you guess then wouldn’t that mean more time spent with you?”

Seungcheol tries not to make a habit of flirting too often. He knows he has a soulmate. Hell, everyone does. But that doesn’t mean there’s any harm to it. Besides, this guy is making it really hard not to flirt with him.

“What if I want to know your name because I want to know whose name I’ll be saying tonight?” he takes a step closer, eyebrow twitching up slightly. “Now how does that sound to you?”

They hold eye contact for a bit longer until Seungcheol scoffs. A bright smile appears on the brunet’s face, both laughing now. “Oh, God… That’s good. A very good contender you are,” Seungcheol says with amusement.

“Why thank you,” He bows, still giggling, “I’m Jeonghan though. I don’t want to keep you guessing all night.”

“Jeonghan,” He tries the name out, “I’m Seungcheol. But, I’ll still take up that offer because it does sound tempting.”

Jeonghan fakes a scandalized look, tapping the end of the cigarette to get the ash off, “You think I’m that kind of person? Sell myself for a light?”

“Nope. But I’m someone who’d do it for your name.”

Seungcheol finds himself trailing after this mystery man who walks back towards the parking lot. It’s like neither of them wants to look away from each other. He knows he isn’t drunk because he’s only had one drink; he isn’t too sure about Jeonghan.

He watches as Jeonghan stops in front of an old Mustang convertible with the top up. Feeling in his jeans, the brunet lets a bitter chuckle out. Peering in the window, Jeonghan presses a tongue against his cheek and Seungcheol sees what he sees. Car locked and keys in the ignition.

Jeonghan goes around sitting against the hood of the car, “Just one day, I need luck on my side.”

Seungcheol bites his bottom lip, sliding his hands into the back pockets of his jeans. Slowly, he looks around and moves so he’s right in front of Jeonghan.

There’s another feeling. It’s not like any other. It only hits him when he sees Jeonghan staring up at him, looking straight at his lips. They’re still inches apart, yet Seungcheol could already feel his kiss.

Jeonghan grabs the hem of the other’s shirt, pulling him down, giving in to the temptation to have his lips against his own. And they taste it. The exact sweetness of strawberries tangled with the dry taste of ash; it’s never tasted better.

Pulling each other, Jeonghan bits his lip, lust driven, “So you’re the reason I’ve turned into an alcoholic,” he chases after Seungcheol’s lips only to be dragged off the car, a breathy laugh when he stumbles into his arms, “Also, chicken really?”

“You can’t judge when you’re the one who eats strawberries while murdering your lungs,” Seungcheol walks backward, dragging Jeonghan along by his cardigan, hopefully in the direction of his car. He reconnects their lips, joy bubbling inside him at how responsive the brunet is being.

Jeonghan places a hand in the middle of Seungcheol’s chest, giving each other some space. Both are breathing heavily but still wanting so much more. A smirk appears on his soulmate’s lips as he fixes the collar of his shirt, intentionally brushing is delicate fingers against his neck. “You seem to always seem to cave into the taste. For a while, I loved strawberries even more than usual. Up until maybe last month,” he draws closer to him, lips hovering over his ears, “They started to leave a bad taste in my mouth. When I smoked. When I drank…” his voice trails off slowly.

“I had someone,” Seungcheol confesses all too easily – it’s because Jeonghan started nibbling on his ear, easily causing him to suck a deep breath in.

“Hmm… You were basically cheating on your soulmate for temporary pleasure,” Jeonghan pouts devilishly before placing a searing kiss on his lips, “Better make me scream your name if you want me to forgive you.”

 

*

 

Seungcheol, to put it simply, sped back to his apartment, not wanting to waste any time. Especially when his soulmate wouldn’t stop running his hand up and down his thigh while sucking on the patch of skin behind his ear.

As soon as they got to his apartment, nothing stood in their way.

Pressing Jeonghan against the door, the first thing he does is remove the cardigan, throwing somewhere in the kitchen. Seungcheol attaches his mouth to the other’s pulse, sucking on it making Jeonghan moan. When he feels the brunet’s hands slide down his torso, meeting at the button of his jeans.

Finally realizing what they’re about to do, he pulls away reluctantly causing Jeonghan to whine.

“We just met, and we’re both kind of intoxicated.”

Impatient and very eager, Jeonghan pushes him into the bedroom and onto his bed. Ridding himself of his shirt and shoes he climbs on top of Seungcheol, straddling his waist before he takes his bottom lip and begins sucking on it. Knowing he has his soulmate’s attention now, he releases his lip only to begin grinding down on him. “We have forever to get to know each other,” he pants when he feels Seungcheol’s hard members through their jeans. “Right now, I’m more interested in knowing if I’m going to enjoy sleeping with you.”

That’s enough to convince Seungcheol to aggressively throw Jeonghan down on the bed, getting all the unnecessary garments out of the way.

 

They got about three rounds in, both incredibly impressed with each other’s stamina. One would think they’d stop after all that work but no. Seungcheol’s sitting up slightly, hands stroking his partner’s thighs. Jeonghan on his lap with Seungcheol’s dick still buried inside of him, rocking at a slow pace; too comfortable to go any faster. The two are far from reaching that sense of pleasure – they’ve hit it about three times, the first time when Seungcheol was being relentless, then when Jeonghan decided to ride him and the other is when they promised each other an innocent shower.

The pair just didn’t want to separate. So after the shower, neither putting on any clothes, they stripped the bed, changing the sheets only to have Seungcheol lay down on it and Jeonghan climb on top of him once more, rejoining them. Seungcheol couldn’t have been more entranced.

“Am I forgiven then?” He asks between quick open-mouth kisses they continue to share. “Because if I recall, you definitely were screaming my name.”

“I guess,” Jeonghan bites his lip, eyes closing briefly when he switches to grinding down on him, “You’re a good fuck. Where’d you learn all that?” Gasping a bit when Seungcheol thrusts up ever so slightly.

“Adventurous friends and porn is a novelty,” He grazes his teeth against the ravished collar bone painted pink and red with a hint of purple. “Why haven’t I seen you before?”

“I moved here a couple of months-” Jeonghan lets out a deep moan feeling Seungcheol get harder inside him, “-ago. Lived in Germany for awhile. Found myself in the UK with my parents but I wanted to touch base with where I’m from so I came here. Wanted to know what I was missing,” His eyes roll back a bit when he feels Seungcheol’s mouth massaging his neck. “Apparently a lot.”

That’s how they spend the late night and early morning of their first meeting. Turned on, enthralled and high off of each other’s taste.

 

 

***

 

 

Maybe he’s in over his head. It’s a possibility. But he doesn’t give a damn.

The first time they go out together, Jeonghan tosses his keys to Seungcheol. His long burgundy cardigan jumping into the passenger seat. The black-haired student questions the owner of the car when he climbs into the driver seat on the convertible.

“I feel like you need to live a little,” Jeonghan chides. He rests his feet up on the dashboard as he places a cigarette between his lips. “And Ichigo will show you how.”

“Ichigo? As in Strawberry in Japanese? You named your car after the fucking fruit?”

“Shut up and drive Lonely Boy no more,” Jeonghan teases, sparking his lighter.

“Where do I go?”

“Wherever you can drive the fastest.”

Jeonghan had that right about Seungcheol. He’s never really experienced any excitement. He just goes by the book. As an adolescent, he had the set angst-like vibe as well as the “you just don’t understand me, mom, ugh!” phase. During high school, he drank alcohol before he could hit the legal age because that’s what teenagers do. He had sex because everyone apparently did that and lost their virginity. Then he left home to go to college and is now living life like any twenty-two-year-old would. Cramming for exams, drinking the sorrows away and just hoping their GPA is high enough to graduate.

Never has he really done anything too thrilling. He was pretty okay with that. Just going about life in society, minding his own business while having the occasional urge to smoke and pop a strawberry in his mouth. A simplistic life.

The suggestion of needing to live a little got him though. So, he drives the two of them on the highway. It’s almost midnight and there are barely any cars on the road.

Seungcheol looks to his left to see Jeonghan completely relaxed. Head thrown back, he taps the side of the car to the tune of the song, window blowing his air in a disarray fashion.  Feeling Seungcheol’s constant glancing, he laughs, telling him to keep his eyes on the road.  He adjusts himself to where he’s sitting up to peak at the dashboard. “Where are you at?” Disappointment when he sees they’re only going fifty. “Faster.” Jeonghan pats his shoulder, “At least sixty. Break the one law everyone breaks anyway.”

What’s there to lose? Pressing down on the gas, the car’s engine revs louder as they lurch forward. Seungcheol can hear his soulmate cracking up next to him, enjoying every second of the rushing wind. And for a moment, Seungcheol lets go too.

 

* 

 

For maybe two weeks, they spent long nights together. After Seungcheol’s classes, Jeonghan would meet him in the library or back at his apartment. He’d sit around and watch him study, opting out of distracting him from his work, but intervened when he knew he was almost done. Even when he wasn’t with him, he’d still daydream about the possibilities they could do.

“Is this a vape pen?” Seungcheol scoffs, holding it up between them.

The two are currently situated on his couch, the coffee table covered with chicken, strawberries and a couple bottles of soju; just finished watching Civil War.

Taking it from his hands, Jeonghan grins, “Yes. I have converted to it only because smoking is going to kill us faster, and with this,” he wiggles it, “We can do cool tricks.”

Standing, he covers the tip, inhaling it, then blowing it out, his hands guiding the cloud forming a smoke ring. He inhales again but this time opens his mouth to an ‘O’ shape and taps his cheeks with every puff. Tiny rings escape his mouth with every touch.  “See?”

Seungcheol shakes his head at his soulmate’s antics. Reaching out he pulls Jeonghan closer, the brunet finally getting the gesture. He drops on the couch, laying his head on Seungcheol’s lap. The older cards through his hair, enjoying the way Jeonghan hums. Who would have guessed it’s going to be their last moments of undeniable bliss.

 

 

*** 

 

 

Jeonghan doesn’t pick up any of his calls two days later. There’s not a text. Word. Nothing. Leaving another voice message he tosses his phone aside on the desk. There’s no use.

This is the third time in the past month that the brunet has gone off the radar and Seungcheol is extremely befuddled.

“Maybe his phone is dead,” Hansol nervously bites his lip. He’s only met Jeonghan a handful of times and he enjoyed his company. He didn’t know much about him but he knows soulmates. And soulmates can’t handle the distance after they’ve met. Instead of the food cravings, they’d crave each other.

It'd be even worse since now that Seungcheol’s had a taste of what Jeonghan is like constantly, he’s not going to rest until he feels satisfied. One’s soulmate is like an addiction that’s hard to break.

Those who’ve found them and been together for a while much like Hansol and Wonwoo can attest to that. Whenever Seungkwan flies to visit his family Hansol becomes a bit antsier than usual, filling the urge to fly to Jeju by eating ice cream daily.

Mingyu and Wonwoo have yet to be separated for a long amount of time, due to the fact that everyone understands the entire soulmate dilemma. So when Mingyu had a school trip, he had received a form for his soulmate to fill out so Wonwoo could attend the trip (a month traveling Japan and learning about its culture) so there wouldn’t be any conflict.

Consider it an epidemic, but that’s how it is. A simple food craving turns into an addiction in the form of the one they’re destined to be with. A blessing in disguise.

“He thrives off of social media, there’s no way,” Seungcheol mumbles tapping his pen excessively on his textbooks. “I don’t get it.”

 

Jeonghan reappears two days later, waltzing back into his life – quite literally – when Seungcheol unlocks his apartment to find Jeonghan with a bucket of fried chicken on his lap, laughing at the television watching reruns of SNL.

Wanting to ask where he’s been, the question evaporates when the brunet’s eyes light up seeing Seungcheol at the door. Moving the bucket aside he scurries over wrapping his arms around his giving him a welcome home kiss.

The gesture reeks of a domestic lifestyle and all Seungcheol could do was smile because Jeonghan’s back.

 

*

 

“Let’s go somewhere,” Jeonghan says interrupting Seungcheol train of thought.

“Han, some people go to class. And that’s me. I’m not like you,” he chuckles, resuming his notes.

“I promise it’ll be worth it,” he pouts, clinging to his arm, trying to get his attention on him and not the notebook filled with illegible scribbled.

Seungcheol knew he was going to give in. Even if he tried to hold out as much as possible, he did.

He allows his soulmate to lead them out of the library, calling a cab.

The ride is a bit long, and for some reason, it’s silent too. But he feels fingers walk into his hand. Seungcheol turns ever so slightly to see a shy smile on Jeonghan’s face as he looks out the window.

Dragging him out of the car, Seungcheol finds himself in front of a new place yet familiar building. It’s one of the tallest skyscrapers in the city.

“What are we doing here?”

“You’ll see,” Jeonghan locks their hands together leading them inside. He gives the guard a quick wave as they enter the elevator. Seungcheol wants to ask why he knows the guard so well but he knew he’d probably get some sort of cryptic response that he’s too lazy to decipher. He feels like a rag doll, being yanked and tugged on as he trails carelessly behind Jeonghan. He takes them out of the elevator once they reach the topmost floor to only go up more flights of stairs.

Finally reaching the top, the brunet pushes the metal door open. A cold blast of air hits the two of them, successfully eliciting goosebumps along their bodies. Seungcheol hugs his own body, trying to feel the warmth of his blue sweater while watching Jeonghan pull at the sleeves of his bright yellow one. Seoul’s skyline looking back at him.

“Surprise!” Jeonghan opens his arms wide, a radiant smile showing only for him. Seungcheol walks closer to the edge where his soulmate stood. He looks over the railing, staring in awe at how small everything seems on the ground. The lights. The people. The cars. “You daydream a lot.”

The statement grabs his attention.

“I’ve noticed that every time a window is open, or we’re just walking outside at night you’re never fully there,” the younger says. Pressing his arm against Seungcheol’s, “You’re always staring off for at least a minute. Let me know what you’re thinking about.”

“I’m thinking about…” he starts speaking but he’s unsure of where to start. “… How the universe works… It sounds weird. But it blows my mind at how things work. Why does everything have to be unexpected? Why do specific things happen? For the bad things who do I hate? For the good things, what do I thank?” he pauses, scoffing at himself, “I sound insane I know.”

“No, you don’t,” Jeonghan intertwines their hands once more. His hands were ice cold compared to his own. “I think the unexpected happens because it’s the universe’s way of telling you that this is what you need instead of what you want and expect. I believe everything happens for a reason. Nobody can truly know what’s going to happen to them and that’s what makes everything all the better. You don’t know what’s going to happen next or what life is going to throw at you. And I think that’s what makes life all the better. It’s better not knowing what’s going to happen. Predictability isn’t always to go.”

And just like that, Jeonghan taught him fate.

 

 

*** 

 

 

And yet the next morning he receives nothing from him once more.

 

*

 

And it’s like that for an entire month.

 

 

***

 

 

Stopping at the top of the stairs, he sees an all to familiar face, back leaning against the light post. Jeonghan stands up straight when he catches sight of the black hair.

“You disappeared for a month,” Seungcheol tries his best to sound angry but it’s quite impossible for him especially with Jeonghan. Going down the stairs, he lazily stops in front of him. “No text. No note. No call. Nothing. What are you doing here?”

“Am I not allowed to see my own soulmate?” Jeonghan attempts to crack a smile out of him but he has no such luck. “I missed you.”

“That’s funny because when I tried calling you the line always went dead.”

“Seungcheol.”

“Listen. I’m used to you disappearing for like a day or two. A week tops. But an entire month? Where I have no idea what you’re doing. Really?”

“Seungcheol.”

“I don’t get it, I really don’t. Is something wrong? Am I doing something wrong? Can you just tell me?”

“Seungcheol.”

“What!”

“Kiss me.”

He blinks once. Then one more time. Slumping his backpack off, he drops it carelessly on the pavement, not waiting for another second to lock their lips together.

Seungcheol knows. All of this is just a game to him. But he’s the fool that falls into it. Over. And over. And over.

 

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI! NEW STORY! THE SEMESTER IS DONE! EXAMS ARE DONE! AND I AM DONE BEING A LITTLE BABY BITCH!  
> First off, I would like to introduce to you all a new series that I've been planning on doing for who knows how long maybe since like... last year but it was with a different ship, and I'm finally doing it! I have maybe 2 months tops before I start classes again but I will be traveling a lot. This is the first of many Soulmate AUs I have but this one I began after I watched Love, Simon and after my numerous panic attacks!  
> I'd like to say thank you to a lot of people like wow, you all are so sweet and the comments you all left made me feel so much better and a lot happier. For a while, I couldn't even read comments and I still can't really look at RAY without feeling weird but all of you are the real ones.
> 
> lmao @ the few ppl who decided to shit on my last story and critique every little bit of it as if I needed the criticism; I haven't seen you guys post any stories?????? Where they at since you all seemed to have the time to judge mine and know how to write them better??? Ya'll know who you are.


	2. Tastes Like You

It’s a game. That’s it. Nothing is going to change. Everything is just a game to him so why is Seungcheol taking this so seriously?

“Are fucking with me?!” He screams almost pulling out his hair.

“What are you going to fucking do about it?!” Jeonghan yells back.

Throwing one of the throw pillows at his face in anger, his rage refuses to simmer, “How the hell did you get the blue turtle shell again!” Seungcheol points to the screen, fuming that he got hit with the shell seconds before winning the race.

Jeonghan did a little shimmy in victory. “Get on my god damn level you fucking scrub!”

“You’re the one who looks like that bitch ass dog meme!”

Seungcheol finds it a lot easier to ignore the enormous elephant in the room every time than actually addressing the situation. He’s let it slip for the past four months so he doesn’t see why he should stop it now. It’s the simplicity of life. If one doesn’t ask questions, then things don’t get complicated. And Seungcheol doesn’t do complicated.

“Hey, I’m going to head out,” Jeonghan says plainly tossing his keys in the air. He waits for the metallic keychains to hit his palm but it’s intercepted by his own soulmate snatching the keys in midair. “Ha ha, give em back.”

“Can’t you just stay an hour longer,” Seungcheol attempts to persuade him by pulling him closer by the sleeve. He can see Jeonghan fighting off a smile, “You haven’t stayed the night in a while. I miss you.”

His soulmate shakes his head, much to Seungcheol’s displeasure, “I gotta.” Bidding him goodbye with a sweet kiss, Jeonghan heads towards the door.

“When am I going to see you again?”

The question catches them both off guard. It’s a simple question really. Yet the solemn undertone and the tiredness in Seungcheol’s voice are warning enough.

“You’ll know when I’m back.”

“Will I?” a twinge of sarcasm in it.

“You know I always do.”

As he watches Jeonghan slip away from his hand and out the door, he bites the inside of his cheek. A nasty habit he’ll have to break one day but today won’t be that day.

The door closes in front of him and the unsettling feeling falls on him. “Do I?”

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

“Gone again?” Wonwoo slides over the strawberry box further away from Seungcheol’s reach.

The noticeable silence gives him the answer, and if that didn’t give it away, then it’d be how Seungcheol reaches for the strawberries.

All his friends are well aware of Jeonghan’s habit of going MIA, so it isn’t that big of a surprise when he’s not clinging onto Seungcheol’s waist like the possessive boyfriend he is.

“Maybe this is a good thing.”  
Seungcheol sat straight after hearing the ridiculous comment. A good thing? What kind of idiot is he? His soulmate is nowhere to be found once again, he’s craving him constantly to the point it’s like never ending suffering on his behalf. The desire and need to be with Jeonghan. The temptation to just scream or free fall from a building just to take the feeling of incompleteness away. It’s hell on earth.

Does Jeonghan even feel it too? Seungcheol can’t be the only one who feels the gaping hole in his heart. There’s just no way only one side of the soulmate card had a hole in it.

“There are a million reasons why this isn’t a good thing,” His voice is harsh, “What the fuck do you mean?”

There is absolutely no way for Wonwoo to put it nicely. How could he tell his best friend that what his own soulmate was doing to him was the shittiest thing ever and that all of his friends are concerned about his wellbeing? That Jeonghan is just fucking with him. “I think… that it’s time for you to at least give yourself a break from him,” He says slowly, adjusting his position. “You should get your mind off of him. He keeps leaving you so why don’t you… I don’t know, take a break from Seoul for a while.”

It sounds ludicrous. Yet so tempting.

Every time. It’s like clockwork. A constant cycle of a game that he’s all too tired of playing. His bed has lost its warmth but his clothes still smelled of him if he ever forgets. Then when he’d least expect it, Jeonghan would be back, appearing in his apartment one day, or maybe waiting for him outside the library. Sometimes, just sometimes, would his soulmate leave a message for him; a simple one that held instructions to go to the top of the building where he taught Seungcheol fate.

However, the constant “hello again” and “I missed you” and “let’s do this” and the avoidance is suffocating.

Almost an entire year worth of it.

“What do you mean?”

Pulling a slip of paper out of his folder, Wonwoo hands it to him. “A trip to Tokyo. One month. We study the Japanese culture and experience it. First week will be Tokyo, then Osaka then to Nagoya. Deadline to turn it in is tomorrow. We leave in ten days.”

Seungcheol stares at the form for a long time. A class trip to Japan for an entire month. It’d be him, with absolutely no contact or no hope to see Jeonghan. Maybe for over a month if the brunette decides not to show himself within the next two weeks.

His heart beats furiously, telling him not to go. Not to go any further. Not to inflict more damage than necessary. Except his head is telling him the complete opposite. Jeonghan won’t care. It’d be the same exact damn thing he always does. This time though, it’d be Seungcheol doing the disappearing.

 

He finds himself on a plane, next to Wonwoo and Mingyu, staring out the window. Destination: Japan. More miles between him and his soulmate. He knew because he could feel his heart crying for help.

 

 

*** 

 

 

An entire month. A month of enlightenment, knowledge, fun, and suffering.

The very first-week Seungcheol fooled himself he was fine. He explored Tokyo with his best friends, took pictures, studied the history of it. For a bit, it worked. The distractions and technology of the new country. But a day didn’t go by without having a smoke.

In week two, it was a lot more bearable. He met some really nice people. Spent some time with them, had a couple of drinks with them and laughed a lot. Maybe it was because he was drunk for a good portion of it he was able to enjoy himself and forget that he feels all too empty inside.

Week three slapped the fuck out of him. On their way to Osaka, he had a lot of thinking time. That was bad. Nobody should have thinking time when they make rash and sudden decisions like the one he made. Seungcheol had begun to over analyze everything. Every little move, every glance, touch or even word that other soulmates shared. He became jealous of it. All he wanted was Jeonghan. Because even if he ran away from his problems to attempt to give his heart some kind of holiday, his problems are unavoidable.

Seungcheol fills the voice with the intense consumption of strawberries. They taste like him.

By the last week in Nagoya, Wonwoo was asking him if he wanted an early flight back home. Jeonghan had actually texted him. And called. Again and again and again. It became so bad that Wonwoo and Mingyu had to physically pry the phone away from him that night because he refused to open them, yet at the same time all he would do was stare at his phone as it buzzed.

They kept it for the remainder of the trip and Seungcheol felt like he was walking through hell.

Jeonghan’s never texted him when he leaves. Never telling him when he gets back and never telling him when he’s leaving. He just reappears and pretends everything is okay. This was a first.

It was like the epitome of bittersweet. Jeonghan is the epitome of bittersweet. Much like how strawberries tasted with the smoke of a cigarette. It was refreshing, heavenly almost. Then the kick of bitterness, that slowly kills.

 

 

***

 

 

The dread back to his apartment is overwhelming. On the ride home, he kept his phone at the bottom of his suitcase, not wanting to read anything or listen to any of the messages his soulmate has left for him. He’s exhausted. Seungcheol knows that Jeonghan won’t be there when he gets home anyway. He’s done hoping. Done waiting for him.

If anything, he did learn something from his trip to Japan. It’s that he’s exhausted. He can’t keep pretending that he’s okay with the situation he found himself in no matter how much he treasures Jeonghan.

“Where the hell were you!”

Seungcheol almost stumbles back out of his flat when he hears the scream. It’s almost midnight when he sees the disaster in front of him. Jeonghan’s eyes are bloodshot, hair sticking up in random places; it’s as if he hadn’t gotten any sleep in days. 

“Why does it matter to you,” Seungcheol gives a monotone answer, too tired to be concerned. “You do it all the time.”

“That’s not the fucking point!” His anger seems almost over-dramatic in Seungcheol’s eyes. What is there to get worked up about? It’s not like Jeonghan would care.

“Then what is? Why the hell are you in my house?”

“I’ve been here waiting for two weeks for you!” He screams at him, “I looked for you everywhere where the hell were you?”

Seungcheol surveys his surroundings. His bedroom door is wide open, he has a good view of the how crumpled his sheets were. Moving to his soulmate’s appearance, it’s obvious that the past two weeks have done a number on him. The bags under his eyes are too obvious to miss and he’s wearing one of Seungcheol’s old hoodies, “I was in Japan, what do you want for me?”

The answer touches a nerve. He knows since one of Jeonghan’s eyes twitch. “I called you. I texted you. I got no response! Why didn’t you tell me! I needed you! I’m your soulmate god damn it!”

“Oh, so now you care about being soulmates?” Seungcheol’s voice is sharp, “Now you want to care about all that bullshit? You disappear for weeks at a time! You go missing and do the same exact thing yet I don’t say a fucking word! But the minute I do it, I’m Satan? You’re a hypocrite.”

Nothing prepared them for this conversation. Nobody really expected it to happen. Seungcheol almost feels bad for yelling. The words hit Jeonghan hard; he can tell. The façade his soulmate always puts up is cracking, chipping away piece by piece,

“You... you are... you were supposed to be here! You’re always supposed to be here when I get back! Always! And... and... you... you weren’t. YOU WEREN’T!”

“Because you’re never here!” He finally explodes, “You run off and drop from the face of the earth. I’m left here pining for you. Waiting and wishing you were here with me! When you first started flaking on me, do you know how hard it was? I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t sleep! All I fucking did was eat strawberries and smoke cigs because they somehow always tasted like you! I needed you! I always need you because I was cursed to have you as my soulmate!” He tries to ignore Jeonghan’s face shattering before him. “I had to learn how to live without you! Do you know how hard it was? How difficult it was for me? I don’t know how the hell you did it but it was pure torture! It still is!”

“You think it’s easy for me leaving you? Huh? You think I enjoyed being away from you?” Jeonghan shoots back, neither of them paying mind to the tears racing down their cheeks, “I _want_ to stay here. I _want_ to be with you. But I _needed_ to learn. I needed to know how long I can go without you! I needed to see how much I could tolerate! I needed to see if you were temporary like everything else in my life or if you were finally a home to me!”

“I wanted to be your home! But you lock me out!” Seungcheol can feel the blood rushing to his head; it’s throbbing and he’s getting lightheaded from all the screaming, but everything has to be said.

“Because my entire life is filled with inconsistencies and responsibilities! I can’t stay in one place for too long because I’m not allowed too! I don’t have the freedom!” The brunet lays out. It’s the most vulnerable he’s ever seen his soulmate. The headstrong, dauntless man exchanged for a fragile, cracked man, spilling his emotions out, “You don’t understand how happy I was when I found you. _You_ gave me freedom. Every time I left and I came back, you didn’t say a word. You simply took me back and acted like everything was normal. You gave me what I needed whether you knew it or not. Every time I see you, you’re my breath of fresh air... so... so when I came here... and you were gone... I... I panicked, because maybe I pushed you too far. Or maybe you got sick of me and you did! I ruined what we had, I ruined this like I always do...”

“Jeonghan what responsibilities do you have?”

Almost hyperventilating he tries to calm down, “I’m... set to take over my parent’s firm over in... in Germany. I try to escape as much as possible. I try so hard...” more tears stream down his face uncontrollably, “If it’s not Germany, I’m in Italy, if I’m not there it’s Switzerland if not there, then Spain. I’m being pulled in so many directions when I just want to be here!”

In a way, Seungcheol almost understands. The constant flow of money he spends so recklessly, access to places that seem too out of his social class or comfort zone, having that old Mustang and how he managed to disappear from Seoul and Korea with ease. His soulmate is fucking rich but so miserable.

“I leave because I have to, not because I want to,” Jeonghan whispers. It’s like he’s begging Seungcheol to hear him out. “I try to stay as long as possible, I do. I really do. But my mom, she gives me deadlines and I can’t disappoint her.”

“Did you tell her you found your soulmate?”

“I did. I tell her every time I see her, but she doesn’t care. Her and my dad do distance all the time.”

“I can’t live like that Jeonghan,” Seungcheol shakes his head, “Why didn’t you tell me at the very beginning?”

“Because I thought I could get out of it. I thought that somehow, some way, I could convince my parents to let me stay in Korea.”

Seungcheol chuckles sadly, “You shouldn’t have given me hope like that.” He wanted something different from his mundane life, he needed excitement. He asked and he received, only at a horrible cost. “I’m tired Jeonghan. I think you should go back.”

The older makes his way towards his room, trying to ignore the strain on his heart, “Seungcheol… I leave in two days.” Jeonghan pauses, staring at his soulmate’s back, “Give me these two days. Let me be with you for two more days and I’ll be out of your life.”

 

 

***

 

 

Stirring the thin straw inside his drink he watches as the colors swirl together. It’s been a while since he last came to that bar. Holds memories he doesn’t want to remember.

“How you holding up?”

Seungcheol looks up from the untouched drink, smiling at Ren, “Let’s just say it’s no walk in the park.”

Anyone who’s closely related to Seungcheol knows. Jeonghan’s gone. He’s been gone for over a year. He tells people they had a mutual understanding, that he’s completely okay with his own soulmate being across the globe away from him, not being allowed contact with him because of a tyrant of a mother. However, everyone knows he’s not; if they aren’t okay with it, there is no way in hell that he is too.

The last two days he spent with Jeonghan was unforgettable. For forty-eight hours, they spent every single second together. There wasn’t a moment where they were apart. They tried their best to ignore the impending separation that waited for them, they just went along with their days, just like the game went. Not an ounce of him doubted that he was happiest at those times. How he wished he could turn back the clock.

“Hey.”

Looking up he gives him a weak smile, “Hi.”

Wonwoo takes a seat next to him, tapping the bar with the corner of his phone. “It’s only a Tuesday and yet your already at the bar?”

“At least I’m not here on a Monday,” Seungcheol scoffs sipping his scotch, “That means I hit rock bottom.”

“Well you’re a day away from that,” Wonwoo scolds. Looking around the empty bar he sighs in defeat. He digs inside his jean pocket and tosses a small box on the counter. The raven-haired man picks it up curiously, a little surprised that Wonwoo’s carrying around a cigarette pack. “Take it and smoke.”

“Why?”

“Because ever since Jeonghan left you haven’t touched a strawberry or a lighter. Not remembering what he tastes like is going kill you.”

“But I know what he tastes like. I know what he feels like. Smoking or eating that god damn fruit will only make me miss him and want him here with me. I can’t want him.”

A little sick of his best friend’s stubbornness he shoves the box and a lighter in his hand, “Go outside and smoke.”

It’s a simple request. Wonwoo would rather have him kill his lungs than his heart at this point. He sighs in relief when Seungcheol stands and walks towards the exit, but instantly becomes anxious when he sees a figure stand from the corner of the bar because this is unexpected.

 

Seungcheol leans against the brick building; his usual spot. He’s taken back to the memories of his past meetings. He met Jihoon here, in hopes he was his soulmate. Then, when that ended, he met Jeonghan, his one and only.

Sticking a cigarette between his lips, he hovers his hand over the end to get a proper light. It’s a major juxtaposition but his first drag after a year feels like a breath of fresh air. Although he didn’t have strawberries on him, it felt like Jeonghan was right there. The lonely boy watches as the puffs out the smoke as it twirls out of his mouth into the sky, remembering how excited Jeonghan was to show him the cool tricks he learned how to do with a vape.

A day doesn’t go by without him thinking about him. But there’s no point in hoping.

Life doesn’t go the way one plans and no stops.

 

 

“Light my cigarette?”

 

 

But under the night sky, history can repeat itself.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DONE! Holy crap I have so much to post but so little time. Short, sweet, simple. My little 2 shot is done with an open-ending b/c why the fuck not. Anyway! I've been writing a lot of different stories at the same time b/c I have too many ideas BUT I refuse to post any of it until I finish Diamond Edge and that's going to be a B I T C H! But when i do, expect daily updates kay bye! Sorry for any mistakes!


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